


Scar or No Scar

by cherrysprite



Series: Wheel O' Angst [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Body Image, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Good Theo Raeken, I Love You, Implied Bottom Theo, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Scars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-06-25 02:51:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19736833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherrysprite/pseuds/cherrysprite
Summary: Ever since he started dating Theo, Liam has been the happiest he's ever been, but that doesn't mean there aren't a few things he questions about the chimera: one of which being the way he never, ever takes his shirt off in front of him.-Randomized Angst Prompt #1 - Hidden Scars





	Scar or No Scar

Theo and Liam's relationship was never meant to go slow. From the very beginning, before either of them even had glanced in the other's direction in a more-than-enemies way, there was no beating around the bush. It was all sharp edges and, for the most part, harsh honesty, from the moment they first set eyes on each other in the woods that fateful night with Stiles down to the first time they ever kissed.

Everyone knew that the chimera and beta were like gasoline and a lit match, neither one having a particular role, always drawn to each other into something explosive and hard to beat. That was the same outlook the pack had on their relationship at first, when Liam and Theo had came out of a room one night and finally admitted they were together after a week, which wouldn't have been too odd of a sight if it wasn't for the torn shirt and broken fingers they'd given each other. 

From then, though, things went calmly. Theo was Liam's anchor and vice-versa, and ever since they got together, they learned to play off each other in a more peaceful way, using their teamwork skills to take things down in a more violent manner if it was necessary as well. They were "unexpectedly soft" as Lydia had once put it when she saw them snuggled together on the couch half-asleep, and neither of them could really bring themselves to disagree. Theo jokingly marked a calendar of each week he went through life with Liam without another broken nose; the broken noses remained at three, but the weeks kept growing without it.

Liam's soft smiles were always met with one in return, and for the first time in three exhausting years, Liam was content. Whether Theo was near or far, the thoughts swirling around his mind that he finally had someone who really understood him stuck with him like the scent of him on his pillowcase or in the "borrowed" hoodie Liam had pilfered. He'd never been happier or calmer, not even when Hayden was still around, and he basked in it regularly.

That wasn't to say it was all bliss all the time, and it wasn't even about the supernatural threats that rolled through Beacon Hills like it was a stop on their road trips. Being with Theo was singularly the easiest and most complicated thing he'd ever done, easy in being able to be completely silent with him without reason and complicated in the things that never came out of silence.

It was things like the issues with touch that got him, some moments clinging to Liam like a tree branch and the next second not wanting even a breath to be near him, and every time Liam tried to bring it up and help, he was shut down or shrugged off, onto another topic. He had something against the color red that Liam couldn't begin to wonder what was about, and he needed to sleep a certain way or he wouldn't sleep at all. 

Theo also never, ever changed in the same place as him, and if they were running late, he would make it his life's goal to get out of the room and go to the bathroom or even outside before he would change in front of Liam. He never changed in locker rooms, instead opting for a stall in the men's room, as uncomfortable as it was, and he wouldn't be caught dead without a shirt, or at least a tank top. Pants were fine, he could walk around with it all out for all he cared, but the shirt wouldn't come off.

"You know you don't have to leave to change, right?" Liam asked one morning as if Theo didn't know, and the chimera froze, his hands clenching around the clothes he held as he walked out the door. "It's not exactly like we haven't seen each other..." He lifted the blanket up as he was still laying in bed, motioning to his own near-nakedness, of course leaving out the part about the shirt. 

"I just..." Theo said before biting his tongue, and Liam could tell he was trying to think of something to say. "We haven't had sex yet."

Liam gave a half grin at the blunt statement. "Yes, we haven't," he said patiently, sitting up a little. "but you know that being naked and having sex isn't the same thing, right?"

Theo glanced down at the clothes to Liam, nodding silently, and Liam thought he had gotten through until Theo left anyway.

He had written it off as Theo being embarrassed that day, since his chemosignals told him what he needed to know, but it kept happening. The first time Theo was invited to Corey's house over the summer before senior year, the puppy pack went swimming and Liam could tell that Theo wasn't really sure what to do about it. He got in the pool with his swim trunks and shirt on, the black fabric probably sticking to him uncomfortably, but not mentioning it.

Nothing was different about his behavior after he got in the water, but Liam had watched him for the thirty seconds he played with the edge of his shirt by the pool ladder, looking conflicted. He splashed water at the other boys in the pool and laughed like he was supposed to, but Liam couldn't help the sadness that laced his smile.

It wasn't like he had a problem with Theo wanting to keep his shirt on, it was just that he wished he knew why. He wondered if it was because he was insecure about his body, which he wasn't sure why that would ever be an issue, but he understood if it was since things like that sometimes just happen. Other times he debated if it was because Theo had gone most of his life without people seeing him shirtless and he wasn't in any rush to change it, and that he was just embarrassed. Those were the only two answers he could come up with, so he let it be.

Still, Liam wasn't expecting the sheer panic that came over Theo when he opened their bedroom door. Theo's back was turned to him in a flash and he quickly swiped the shirt over his body, covering up every inch of exposed skin in seconds. "I-I'm sorry-" Liam stammered, frozen to his spot in the doorway.

"It's fine, just-" Theo snapped, his expression softening when he heard the uptick in Liam's heartbeat at his tone. "What did you need?"

"I wanted to know if you wanted any lunch," Liam said slowly and timidly, starting to shut the door. "My mom's making grilled cheese, but I can leave you alone."

Theo had taken a shuddery breath and looked down at the floor, the edge of his sleeve caught in his palm. "Yeah," He said quietly, remorse floating through the air, and Liam went to close the door. "I'm sorry," he said weakly, almost a breath, and Liam just nodded and shut the door behind him.

And ever since then, things had been weird. Sleeves were longer and Liam avoided touching anywhere around his chest or stomach at all in case it was going to trigger something, scared of hurting his boyfriend, and he could tell that Theo noticed. He was so good at controlling his body and emotions, but Liam grew to learn how easy it was now to catch a look of sadness in Theo's eyes before they shifted back to normality.

It wasn't until they started sleeping on almost opposite sides of the bed instead of tangled up in each other that Theo decided to put an end to it. He reached out his arm and wriggled it under Liam's body, the other boy almost melting into it with relief. Liam found himself with his head pressed against Theo's chest and his arm wrapped around his middle. 

"I love you, you know that?" Theo whispered, and Liam smiled, but there was still some sort of intonation that didn't sit right.

"I know," Liam said back, burying his face in Theo's t-shirt, the oversized one he wore to bed. "I love you too."

\--

Liam hadn't meant to do it, but by the time he figured out what he had done Theo was across the room while he was still sitting on the bed, eyes wide and hand still raised. 

Theo bit his bottom lip and looked at the floor as Liam stayed still, his fingers still tingling from the feeling of running underneath Theo's shirt and over the taught muscles of his stomach. What was a moment of heat was fleeting, now he was cold and regretful. Heat of the moment and pure instinct had taken over, and now Theo was resting his head against the other wall while he stared at his own hand.

"Theo, I'm so sorry," Liam wavered, getting up on wobbly legs and shaking his head. "I'm so, so, sorry, I know how you are about that, I didn't mean to-"

"Liam," Theo croaked out, sucking in a breath. "I..."

Theo tried to bring himself to meet Liam's eyes, but his vision was blurry and he realized he was crying. "...I know you felt it."

Liam let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and nodded, though Theo didn't need it. The path up had come to an abrupt stop when his fingers ran over a thick, raised line between Theo's pectorals, the last bit Liam had before Theo was flying away from him. Liam swallowed. "Are you okay?" He asked, and Theo nodded, eyelids heavy.

The chimeras hands shakily went to the end of his shirt again like they did all the time to fidget, but instead of running the fabric through his fingers, Theo started to pull it up and Liam gasped. "T, you don't have to-"

But it was off, the shirt falling at once to the floor with a dull thud. Theo sucked in air at the same time as his boyfriend, eyes falling shut. He couldn't look at Liam's face as he showed him. "There." Theo ran his hand down his own body and waited for the inevitable to come. "You know what it is."

The long, white scar sliced down Theo's chest made something in Liam's stomach turn over, but not in disgust like the chimera was expecting. "From your heart?" Liam asked, the phantom of a whisper as he came closer. He didn't touch it, but his hands rested on Theo's sides and the older boy shivered. He knew the answer already, so Theo didn't make any moves. "Theo..."

"I didn't need a reminder and you don't either," Theo rasped, eyes still shut, barely registering that Liam wasn't running away. "Not every time you look at me like this or try to..."

"Theo." Liam's tone was firm but gentle at the same time, and Theo clenched his teeth. A tear rolled down his cheek and the softness of Liam's lips against it made his own part. Liam's arms came to rest on his shoulders and his hands on his neck, trailing kisses up from his jaw to his closed eyelids. "Look at me."

Theo looked at Liam like he was mystified that he was still there, and the beta cracked a smile. "Baby," he started, and some of the tension in Theo's body faded. "The only thing the scar reminds me of is how much you've changed since the time I met you."

Theo sniffed, blinking away the blurriness. "Really?"

Liam smiled softly, pushing a fallen piece of hair out of Theo's face. "Of course. You're not that person anymore, no matter what your body says about it. You're my Theo, the one who watches talk shows with my mom and helps my dad cook dinner, the one I fell in love with." A small grin passed over Theo's lips and Liam just had to press a kiss to it. "And it's okay if you want to wear the shirt. Theo, you can wear a snowsuit if you want to. Just know that this doesn't change anything."

"Nothing?" Theo asked softly.

"Nothing at all." Liam's hand rubbed over Theo's bicep and went in for another kiss. "Now, you can put it back on and we can go to sleep, if you want to."

Theo shook his head. "No."

"No?"

"I don't want to put it back on," He admitted freely, another smile coming up as he grabbed Liam's wrists and placed his hands back on his hips. "I just want you."

Liam shivered and nodded quickly but calmly, both of their eyes shining with excitement. "Okay," he agreed easily. "Just tell me if anything I do makes you uncomfortable, and I'll stop, alright?"

Theo didn't respond with an 'okay' or 'alright,' rather an 'I love you' that meant so much more.

"I love you too," Liam whispered in his ear as Theo laid down underneath him. "Scar or no scar."

**Author's Note:**

> I had a lot of fun writing this, since it never occurred to me before that Theo might have had some physical reminders of what he did. It could have been interesting if he had the scarring in the show, since when he had the transplant, he was still human...either way. 
> 
> I hope this wasn't too bad or drawn out! I don't have much practice writing angst, so this might be a little drively.


End file.
